Optimal ablation settings of TactiFlex SE laser-cut irrigated-tip catheter: comparison with ThermoCool SmartTouch SurroundFlow porous irrigated-tip catheter

Background The TactiFlex SE catheter (TFSE, Abbott) with a contact force (CF) sensor and a laser-cut irrigated-tip has recently become available but lacks a lesion quality marker. This study aimed to explore distinctions in lesion characteristics between the TFSE and the ThermoCool SmartTouch SurroundFlow catheter (STSF, Biosense Webster), which utilizes a porous irrigated tip, and to assess the most effective application settings for the TFSE. Methods Lesions were generated using varying settings of radiofrequency power (30–50 W), CF (10–20 g), application duration (10–40 s), and catheter orientation (perpendicular or parallel) in an ex vivo porcine model. Comparative analysis between the TFSE and STSF was conducted for lesion characteristics and incidence of steam pops using predictive models in regression analyses. Results Among 720 applications, the TFSE exhibited a significantly lower incidence of steam pops compared to the STSF (0.6% vs. 36.8%, P